By definition, physical therapy is treatment for diseases, injury, or deformities by methods such as a massage treatment, heat treatment, stretches, and other forms of exercise. In the United States, 11.7 million Americans received physical therapy eight years ago, and the number continues to increase. In fact, every year, half of Americans over eighteen years of age will need some sort of physical therapy for a musculoskeletal injury. It is clear that physical therapy benefits many individuals who suffer from a wide range of injuries and chronic pain conditions. If you need physical therapy or are considering physical therapy, here’s what you should know.
Benefits Of Physical Therapy
You may think that physical therapy is time consuming. You may think that physical therapy is frustrating. In reality, many Americans believe that surgery would be a better option for them. They believe that surgery is faster and more effective. You may possibly agree. However, there are various benefits of engaging in physical therapy. First, physical therapy helps manage your pain. Physical therapy exercises and techniques mobilize the soft tissue of your joints, restore your muscle function, and reduces aches and pains (sometimes completely). Additionally, physical therapy can prevent any aches and pains from returning to your joints. Physical therapy helps with all levels of pain thresholds, to help you achieve a semi-free, or pain free life.
Next, physical therapy can help you avoid surgery. Physical therapy helps heal your tissue on its own, so surgery is no longer an option. If you’ve previously had surgery, physical therapy helps you recover faster. Physical therapy also helps you prevent injuries. Physical therapy essentially targets the weaker areas of your body. It then strengthens those weak points. In addition, physical therapists can assess how likely it is for you to receive a physical injury. They can create an exercise plan for your specific needs. Strengthening weak areas, assessments, and an exercise plan guarantees that you will not get an injury in the future.
Physical therapy can help you with health issues. Physical therapy can help with general health issues that occur naturally as you age (joint pain, arthritis, and osteoporosis). Physical therapy is safe for older patients that suffer from these age related issues. Some older patients cannot handle surgery, so physical therapy is the less traumatic, ideal approach for them. Physical therapy has also been known to help patients with cardiovascular problems, because it improves cardiovascular functions.
Physical therapy tools
Since physical therapy is known to help with, and treat various injuries and pain conditions, there are evidently various physical therapy tools. Each tool has its own use and benefits depending on the injury you have, and your unique situation.
Treatment tables are rehab tools, as they are mandatory in a rehabilitation center. Treatment tables are used during physical therapy treatment and exercises. These tables ensure that patients can successfully rest comfortably and sit in many different positions. This is ideal if you have treatments and exercises that may take some time. On a treatment table, you can be comfortable the entire session. Additionally, these tables are sturdy so they can hold patients of varying weights. Treatment tables have a lot of padding so there isn’t any stress placed on injuries or the patient. Treatment tables are one of the rehab tools and systems that really help the patient.
There are more physical therapy tools you should know. The next physical therapy tool is a form of isokinetics. Isokinetic devices help physical therapy patients build strength in their joints and tissues. Additionally, it helps them recover from accidents that caused muscle mass loss and growth loss. Isokinetic devices assist with flexibility because they apply resistance during stretching. These devices come in tube form and they are available as resistance bands. Your physical therapist can customize the exercises to fulfill your needs, because the equipment comes in different strength settings.
The last of the physical therapy tools you should know is electrical muscle stimulation. Electrical muscle stimulation is used after an accident or severe injury to help promote muscle growth and fight off muscular atrophy. These devices are used in the first stages of physical therapy.
